


Independence Day

by i_owe_you_a_bourbon



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 21:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3826381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_owe_you_a_bourbon/pseuds/i_owe_you_a_bourbon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy’s reverie was interrupted rudely and very suddenly as the door to the chief’s office burst open, letting out a haze of liquor and sweat that was barely a man. “Carter,” he said, his voice little more than a rasp.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Independence Day

It was the fourth of July, and the night sky over New York City was ablaze with fireworks. The whole city was full of life and cheer as people threw themselves into the holiday with an extra sense of ecstatic revelry. As much as it was their usual celebration of independence, this year it was also a celebration of the end of war, and of the birth of Captain Steve Rogers.

Peggy had requested the night shift. She wasn’t sure she was quite ready to face this particular night without something to occupy her mind. Seeing as it wasn’t a terribly sought-after shift, her request had been accepted readily. And so she found herself alone at the office with Chief Thompson – the only other agent in the entire SSR who had volunteered to forgo his American urges to declare himself independent in order to serve his country (or at least to sit on his ass all night in case his country needed serving). After a brief glance in Peggy’s direction when he’d first come in, Thompson had closed himself in his office and had not been seen since. Peggy was fine with that. It left her to sit in peace, gazing out the window at the star-spangled sky, a world awash with red, white, and blue. 

A slight smile touched her lips at the sight of a particularly grand and gaudy display of fireworks. “Happy birthday, Steve,” she whispered. Her smile slowly grew as the night wore on.

Peggy’s reverie was interrupted rudely and very suddenly as the door to the chief’s office burst open, letting out a haze of liquor and sweat that was barely a man. “Carter,” he said, his voice little more than a rasp. 

Peggy sat up, swivelling to face him, her brow furrowing with confusion and concern. “Chief Thompson, what is it?” 

“I can't do it,” he gasped, eyes wild, every muscle in his body taut and quivering. “I can't. Please.” The last word was more whimper than speech.

A sudden blast of fireworks banged through the air and Jack flinched backward. Peggy held out her hand to him. “Jack, come here,” she said. He stumbled forward, seizing her hand like a life-line and sinking to his knees at her feet. With a tortured moan, he buried his face in her lap, as though desperate to block out the world. Peggy ran a hand through his hair. “What is it?” she asked. “What's wrong?”

“I can smell it,” he muttered. “It's in my nostrils and I can't get it out. The dirt and the blood and the gunpowder – I can't make it stop.”

Peggy nodded, continuing to stroke his hair with the gentlest of touches. “The fireworks bring you back there,” she said. It wasn't a question.

He looked up at her, his eyes clouded and lost and very far away. “Fireworks?” he whispered. “It's fireworks?”

“Just fireworks, soldier,” she said softly, pushing his sweat-dampened hair off his brow. “The guns have stopped. It's over. You're safe. You're home.” He stared at her for a moment, his eyes slowly coming to focus on her face. Then he let out a soft sigh and let his head fall back into her lap, shudders continuing to wrack his body. Peggy resumed stroking his hair. “It's over,” she said again. “You're home.”

They stayed that way until the sun began to rise over the city; until the sound of fireworks faded away; until the war in Jack's mind was over, and he was home.


End file.
